The Polar Express (UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: November 8, 2022
Rating: G
Film: 4/5
 
Plot
 When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
 
 My Thoughts
My wife and daughter absolutely love this film and they have watched almost every year on Christmas for as long as I can remember. I mostly tolerate it and would probably rate it 3/5, but my wife insists I give it a 4, so we compromised and gave it a 4—gotta keep the peace in the household, if you know what I mean? Regardless, adapting a short story into a feature film is quite a task, but Robert Zemeckis and William Broyles, Jr. do their best. I find the characters to be a bit underdeveloped, but the visuals help you forget this shortcoming.
 
While the film has its flaws, there are a few things I really like. First, is the LFE response when the train first arrives to pick up the young boy—batten down the hatches because the bass response dips below 20Hz. Second, is the score by Alan Silvestri along with the songs by Glen Ballard and Selvestri, which are really heartwarming and make the movie more enjoyable.
 
The 4K presentation is quite good, but then again, so was the previously released Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D HD DVD, and DVD—all of which I’ve owned at some point or another. My wife and daughter love watching the 3D version the most, but this 4K presentation would be my preferred watching format. The depth in the image is 3D-like and I really love how the HDR treatment ads a new dimension to the presentation. The animation still looks a tad creepy to me due to the motion capture technology employed.
 
As much as I love this soundtrack, I really wish Warner would have included an Atmos/DTS:X mix on the disc. Regardless, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track is excellent and as I stated before, I really love the LFE.
 
Video 9.5/10
 
Audio 9.5/10 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
 
Special Features:

• Legacy Bonus features
• UHD Blu-ray + Blu-ray
• Movies Anywhere Digital Copy

 

 
Conclusion
When my wife saw this one arrived, she became giddy with anticipation to see it again. She was not happy that it wasn’t 4K 3D (I had to explain there was no such format), so she’ll have a choice to watch either version over the holidays when our daughter is visiting. Regardless, fans of the film will be happy to know that the presentation is top-notch, even if there’s no lossless track.
 
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
M&K Sound X15+ Subwoofer
Dual JL Audio F-110 (stacked and treated as one sub)
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[bmoney]

Glad they did This justice. Always an annual watch